I would, however, suggest New Delhi may not expect much from Washington in combating Islamist terrorism India has continued to face . The origin of radical Islamists in India dates back to the rule of Akbar the Great in medieval times . The ideological ancestor of the Islamists was Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi who had been influenced by his Middle Eastern counterparts. Various Middle East-based Islamo-fascist forces have since come to influence and sustain terrorist activities in India although the number of local Islamist elements influenced by the foreign jihadists has been very limited. This demands New Delhi to dismantle all such linkages in its war on terrorism .
Washington does not seem to be thinking along India’s lines on this matter . It remains ignorant of the need to dismantle various Islamist linkages . It could be seen in Washington’s partnership with states such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in its current war on ISIS. These nations have been among the principal reasons behind the phenomenon of Islamist terrorism. Qatar continues to shield Islamist terrorist Hamas and host its leaders in its territory . There is little distinction between ISIS and Hamas/ Muslim Brotherhood ( al Qaeda, Taliban , Pakistan-based Lashkar e Toiba and Jaish e Mohammad). They have all been inspired by Osama bin Laden, his spiritual guru Sayyid Qutb and ideological Palestinian mentor Abdullah Azzam and Chechen jihadist Shamil Salmanovich Basayev. Their ideology is the same : kill whoever does not believe in the radical Wahabist interpretation of Islam.
The elimination of ISIS would mean little for humanity and India if the elements like Hamas were not crushed totally and their sources of support not dealt with properly . Keeping this in mind , New Delhi may coordinate its anti-terror policies and strategies with Israel on a very advanced scale. Jerusalem and New Delhi have faced Islamist terrorism of various nomenclatures since long . Jerusalem has developed expertise over the years to combat this evil better . In partnership with Jerusalem, I am sure, New Delhi can invent an effective mechanism to combat Islamist terrorism at home.
Meanwhile , New Delhi may remain cautious of Washington specifically in fighting India-specific terrorists in the region . Washington is still soft towards Pakistan’s notorious Inter-Services Intelligence. Knowledgeable sources say the Islamists like Lashkar-e-Taiba have had proven links with the ISI . There is a specified section in the ISI to oversee covert operations of the LeT in 21 countries, including Australia, North America, Europe and Asia. Needless to recall, American David Headley and Canadian national Tahawwur Rana had been Lashkar recruits. It was the ISI that had trained them in the use of modern communication equipment to spread terrorism.